Animal trap



Sept. 27, 1932. J ZAHM ET 1 1879,968

ANIMAL TRAP Filed Sept. 26, 1930 \NVENTORS JOSEPH D. ZAHN & JOHN U. LEHN TTORNEYS Patentecl Sept. 27, 1932 JOSEPH D. ZAHM A1\TD JOHN U. LEIIN, OB LITITZ, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGI\TORS T0 ANIIVIAL TRAP GOMIPANY OLE' AMERICA, DIE LI'II'IZ, PENNSYLVA'NIA, A CORPOEA- TIO1\T OF PENNSYLVANJIA ANIMAL TRAP Jipplication filed Sept mber 26, 1930. Seria1 N0. 484,494.

This invent-ion relates to spring actuated animal traps.

In such traps it is a possilole oontingency tl1at the spring Will br-ea'k ancl in emergencies tl1is may oauss consicleralole cliifioulties.

It is an object oi this invention therefore, to provicle a supplementary spring which can loe operatively att-aol1ecl witl1out the use 0I tools to such traps after the assemloly of the same. We provicle therefore, a supplementary attachalole anal cletachable spring and it- Will be obvious tl1at such a spring may be usecl on traps which are fully operative, and loy such use tl1e spring power of the trap may be increasecl.

In a preferrecl conStruction the spring is proviclecl wih slots so tl1at parts of the trap ma v los passecl therethrough.

Furt-herdetail-ecl features of die invention will be apparent from ohe following clescript-ion salzen in conjunction with the accompanying clrawing in whichz Figure 1 is a perspective view of a convenient ancl preferrecl emloocliment of the invention comprising a spring aclaptecl 110 be attachecl to an animal trap;

Figure2 is a view shovving tlie spring of Iigure 1 appliecl to a trap whose normal spring is broken;

Figure 3 is a view showing the spring of Figure 1 appliecl to a fully operative trap, in orcler to increase its spring povver; and

Figure '1 is a perspective view of a modifiecl form of spring accorcling 150 the invention.

Referring co the clrawing, ancl particularly to Figure l, obere is shown there one convenient ancl specific emboclimeni; of the invention comprising a spring member 1 preferably of U-form and also preferaloly made from sheet metal. At eaoh encl of thespring, or at the end of each limlo, tl1ere is an aperture 2, 3 ancl cut in he encircling part of the apertures are slots 4 and 5. These slos shoulcl loe of suflicient wiclth to allow the passage therethrough of the appropriate parts of the trap to which they are appliecl. It Will be notecl that in the upper limlo shown in Figure 1, the slot 4c makes an angle oi approximately with the clirection of such limb,

ancl that the lower slot 5 makes an angle of spring and thus have approximately 30 withjthe axis of its limlo. These angles hovvever, are on opposite sides of a trai1sverse line at right' angles to the axes and'the slots are therefore, in opposite quadrzints of the circular apertures 2 and 3.

ne oonvenient use of the spring illustraced in Figure 1 comprises its application to a trap Whose normal spring is broken. Such a trap is illustratecl in-Figure 2 anol comprises a base 8 having its ends upturned as als 9 anol 10 ancl upon such ends are pivoted the usual jaws 11. ancl 12. Mountecl upon the base is any convenient form of bait pan 13 and catoh 1 adapted to coact with a notoh 15 in the bait pan support ancl hold the javvs in open position.

Upon one end of the base is mounted the usual spring 16 and in this case it iszissumed that the springis broken ancl the trap is therefore, usel ebss accorcling to usual notions. In aocordance with this invention the trap may be macle oompletely operative by the applioation of a novel f0rm of spring anol such is inclicated as attached to the right hanol end of the trap as shovvn in Figure 2. It will be seen from this that the upturnecl encl 3-of the base 8 has been passed through the slot 5 of the lovver limb of the spring lanol the upstancling parts of the jaws 11 ancl 12 have been passed through the slot 4 in the uppe'r limb 01: the spring. In order to eflect this arrangement the base is first passed through the slot 5 and the spring 1s ben oompressed ancl the j aws are then passed through th-e slot 4:. The trap is thus provided with a nevv spring ancl is completely operative; Obviously the spring coulcl loe applied to that encl 0f th e trap als Which the broken spring is situated. 1

A further use of the spring according to this invention is to supplement the orclinary trap. Suczh an applicatiori is illustrated in Figure 3 Where a oommon form of trap substantially as illustrated in Figure 2 has its normal spring 17 completely in order. In orcler 130 supplement tl1e spring 17 ancl have a stronger pressure on the jaws lland 12 the spring, acc ording to this invention, is applied in the manner above indicated anal as an extremely strong.

illustrated on the right of Figure 3. The sping coulcl of course be appli'ed at the other' en It is pointed out that theangular relation of the slots abov e indicated and as illustrated in Fig'ure 1 may be varied a's required. The s1ots may be in the opposite quadrants of their respective circular ends so that the spring may be turned, relative t0 the trapwhen conncted thereto, in he opposite direction t0 that most fav0rable to the, embodiment shown. The spring, when applied to the trap, may be turned at any. convnient angle instead of being along the axis thereof 5 as illustratedin Figures 2 and 3, am]. according t'o theposition of the slots so the direction and amount of turn is predetermined.- If desired the ends 0f the-limbs surrounding the apertures 2 and 3 may be thickened'in order t-o provide additionalstrhngth to c0mpensate for the weakness due 130 the cuting of the s1ots.

Other modifications and Variations of ehe invention Will suggest themselves 130 th0se '25 skilled in the 'art a'nd=the invention is nojjt0 be limited tb the specific disclos ur herein before desc ribed whic h jis given purely by way of exainple to indiqate 110W the invention may be carried into effect.

0 We claim':

A U-shapecl spring for an aninil trap comprising jaw s and a base,'said spring ham ing enlarged* rounded en'ds and' apertures in said ends, slots being provided leading 130 said apertules and'in opposit-e quadrimt5 of the respective ends. 7 In testimony whereof we aflix our signa- Eures. 1 JOSEPH D. ZAHM. 40 w b JOHN U. 

